KathrineSwitzer

Speaker Profile

Kathrine Switzer epitomises longevity and fitness in every sense: from breaking the gender barrier in the formerly all-male Boston Marathon in 1967, she has gone on to become one of the world's leading expert television commentators, covering numerous New York City, Boston, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles Marathons and the owner of her own events management and sports promotions company.

A winner of the New York City Marathon, she is also a highly respected businesswoman, with experience in major multinationals in the field of corporate public relations, sports marketing and event management.

Kathrine became internationally acclaimed as a leader in the women's sports movement and led the successful lobbying effort to include a women's marathon race in the Olympic Games.

She is well-published and her articles have appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, as well as numerous international sports publications. Her book Running and Walking for Women over 40 was released in the USA in 1998 and in New Zealand in 1999.

After 35 marathons and a third all-time USA and sixth-in-the-world ranking, she was named 'Runner of the World Decade' by Runner's Magazine in the USA and has appeared on countless television shows including the Today Show, the Tonight Show and Good Morning America.

Kathrine was formerly programme director of Avon Running - Global Women's Circuit, an international series of races and fitness walks for women.

Kathrine speaks and consults on all aspects of public relations, promotions, and increasingly tourism. Kathrine also tests and consults on sports products, on sports-related television and film production, and works with athletes, teams and companies training them in self-promotion, presentation, and focusing on success. She uses her athletic success as a model and a comparison for business success; stressing, for example, goal setting and planning, strategy, hard training and team play.